The Globe and Mail reports in its Friday edition that Dutch engineering consultancy group Arcadis has attracted takeover interest from bidders including Canadian peer WSP Global. A Reuters dispatch to The Globe says that trading in Arcadis's Amsterdam-listed shares was temporarily halted on Thursday after they jumped 9.5 per cent on news of interest. Montreal-based WSP has held talks with advisers and conducted work on and off over the last year on a possible bid for Arcadis, whose market value is about 3.2 billion euros ($3.64-billion (U.S.)). WSP, with a market value of $23.6-billion ($16.75-billion (U.S.)), is an obvious suitor because, by combining operations, it could cut costs and boost revenue. Large-cap private equity firms have also explored a potential bid for Arcadis in recent months. While the suitors are considering bids, an offer for Arcadis is unlikely to materialize quickly owing to potential hurdles including the company's shareholder structure. Founded in 1888, Arcadis, which has 34,000 employees, has become increasingly vulnerable to takeover interest as its growth has stalled and shares have lagged those of U.S.-listed peers. Its shares remain down over 40 per cent from its November, 2024, peak.